In hauling materials over the highways, particularly materials within dump trailers, there is a conflict between the desire to carry as much material as possible and weight limitations regulating the gross weight of a highway vehicle established in many jurisdictions within the United States and foreign countries. The gross weight permitted under law is typically related to the vehicle size, and particularly to the vehicle wheel base. In particular, the gross weight permitted is often related to the number of axles on the vehicle and the wheel base defined as the distance between selected axles. In the common semi-trailer type configuration including a power unit and a trailer, the wheel base can be measured a number of ways. The wheel base can be measured between the leading and trailing axles of the trailer, between the leading drive axle of the power unit and the trailing axle of the trailer or between the steering axle of the power unit and the trailing axle of the trailer.
A need continues to exist for optimizing the load carrying capability of a vehicle while complying with the relevant laws governing vehicle weight. By carrying fewer, heavier loads, the operator can save expenses as well as reduce impact in neighborhoods by passage of the vehicles.